Our national chorus is becoming ever more diverse, full of new voices from around the world. Over the past seven years, a record 10.3 million new immigrants have arrived.

Growing diversity creates tensions. More than half the new immigrants are illegal, fueling a contentious debate. Should we create pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants or try to deport millions of people?

Yesterday, a Senate vote dashed hopes that major immigration legislation will be passed this year.

These battles are the price of having a nation that draws people from all over who are “yearning to breathe free.”